Hot-air-furnace heat-control system



July fl, 1930. e. A. VOORHEES I HOT AIR FURNAE HEAT CONTROL SYSTEI I Filed Feb. 28, 1929 *2 Sheets-Shaft f2 62 as I .4.

15 J 32 23 Z 40 .2g

.1 45 i 1 INVENTOR:

6 26 ATTORNEY.

Patented July 1, 1930 .I; STATES GUY A. VOORHEES, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA HQT-AIR-FURNACE HEAT-CONTROL SYSTEM Application filed February 28, 1929. Serial No. 343,485.

This invention relatesto means comprised in the system of controlling heat in dwellings or other buildings heated by means of hotair furnaces, the invention having reference more particularly to means for controlling air circulation either by gravity as commonly, or by the forced circulation system, or by both combined.

An object of the invention is to provide a simplified and improved hot-air furnace heat control system, and apparatus thereof which shall be of such construction as to be adapted to be manufactured at moderate cost and readily installed, and which shall be highly efficient in operation.

Another objectis to provide an improved control unit adapted to be incorporated with an air-circulation duct and to control cir- V culation of air in accordance with heating 2o requirements, and without necessitating but permitting elaborate automatic control devlces.

Another object is to provide an improved control unit which shall be of such construction as to be simple and reliable without likelihood of accidental derangement and impairment of functions inoperation, which might under adverse conditions result from long use. p I

A further obj ectis to provide an improved control unit structure which may comprise various standard parts or elements that may be readilyobtained from various manufac turers or dealers supplying reliable articles,

in order that a dependable heat control system may be provided at low cost which shall be economical and durable in use.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in a unitary control apparatus having novel construction and arrangement of elements including a shutter, an electric fan or blower and means adapted to control the shutter and the fan; and further, the invention consists in the parts and in the combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularly described and definitely claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical section of a building in which a hot-air furnace is installed and provided with the invention; Fig. 2 is a section on the line IIII in Fig. l onan, enlarged scale; Fig. 3 is a section approximately on the plane of the line III- III in Fig. 2, showing two shutters as a preferable construction and in closed position; Fig. 4 is a section approximately on the line IVIV on Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section similar to Fig. 3, but with the shutters in open position; Fig. 6 is ase'ction corresponding mainly to the plane of the line II II in Fig. 1 but having modified internal structure; Fig. 7 is a section corresponding approximately to the plane of the line VII- VII in Fig. 6; and Fig. 8 is a side elevation of control devices appearing mainly in Figs. 1 and 2, but on an enlarged scale.

Similar reference characters in the different figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to in'detail. As an aid to an understanding of the invention and its mode of application, a portion of a dwelling is illustrated, the numeral 1 indicating the floor of the basement or cellar of a building, 2 a wall thereof, 3 the floor above the basement and 4 a wall portionof a room above the main or ground floor, the numeral 5 designating a conventional orany suitable hot-air, furnace having a draft pipe 6 and a hinged gravity closed draft regulator or damper 7 commonly controlled by means of a chain 8 extending up and into a room; or compartment andadapted to be suitably connected to an anchorage device 9 on the'wall of the room, the chain extending through the'floor 3 and being suitably guided over a guide sheave 10 and under a similar sheave 11 suitably supported under the floor. Commonly a cold-air duct is connected with the air space that is provided between the main furnace structure and its casing, in some situations beneath the floor line but preferably above the floor line as shown, a suitable adapter 12 being provided which is suitablyattached to the furnace casing and having a flange 22 on its inlet end whereby to secure a duct section thereto which in the present invention is termed a control boxv to which a main cold-air duct section 14 is connected that extends from the floor 3 and has an inlet upper end anchored in the floor and preferably provided with a grating 15, the lower end of the duct being located on the floor 1 and provided with a flange 16. Conventionally the casin of the furnace has a suitlile number of discharge pipes 17 connected therewith to supply the various com artments of the building with heated air y an arrangement of the pipes in a conventional manner.

The control box as preferably constructed is of sheet metal and particularl comprises a bottom plate 18, opposite si e wall plates 19 and 20 and a top plate 21, the wall plates and the to plate having each a flange on' 'one end an a flange 23 on the opposite end thereof for securin' the box to the flanges I3 and 16. In t e preferred form of structure, as may be preferred in the larger sizes a vertical partition plate 24 is arranged intermediately of the sidewalls and fixed to the bottom and top plates, and a horizontal dividing plate 25 is arranged'inediately of the bottom and top plates an fixed to the side plate 20 and the partition late 24. A suitable number of hinges 26, 25' are connected to the top; of the bottom plate 18 and a shutter 27 is connected to the hinges so as to be inclined when in closed position and contactin with the dividing plate 25. A number 0 hinges 28, 28' are connected to the top of the plate 25 su port a shutter 29 in inclined position when c osed a ainst the top plate 21, so that the w enfreleased shall swingdownrce. o gravit to o n ition. A: omitthl chain 30 is conhected tz tlFe i ipper shutter 29, the lower shutter having a chain 30' connected thereto and to the upper shuttor preferably b connection with the chain ao'vwhichuexten s upward through an opening 31 in the top plate 21 and in contact h the guide sheave 32 mounted on a suitbrac et 33: secured uponthe top plate; mbracket preferably is provided with a antial base 34 to directly support it top plate. A post 35 preferably 7 provided and suitabl supported upon lie top plate, preferab y being fixed: on y 34 and supports a uide sheave 36 Earths chain 30. A switch ever 37 is pivoted at oneend to the bracket, and achain 38 is connected to the o posite end of the lever and referably to t 1e chain 8 and also to the chain- 30, it bein designed that the lever swing downward y force of gravity to open.- an electric switch which may be variou sly constructed, and to overcome possible fnctionah resistance a coil spring 39 preferably is connected to the lever 37 and to the base 34 so as to ull the lever downward when: not purposefi heldupby its control The s ace on one side of the partition 24 in which the shutters are arranged as described constitutes a duct for gravity circulation, the space on the opposite side of the partition providing a duct for forced circulation and is partially closed by a front plate 40 fixed to the partition late and the opposite side plate 19 and a so to the bottom plate and the top plate of the box, and it has a central circular aperture and preferably a collar 41 at the edge of the aperture. An electric fan motor 42 is arranged in the control box, and is adapted to operate a rotary fan 43, bein suitably mounted upon a stand 44 that IS secured upon the bottom plate 18 so as to permit the fan blades to operate in the collar 41 and force cool air therethroughtowards the furnace.

In a slightly modified form of structure a single shutter 45 is connected to the hinges 26, 26 and extends upward at an inclination to the top iplate 21 and from one to the opposite one o the side plates and has a central collar 46 thereon arranged on the edge of an aperture47 in which the fan blades may operate, the upper portion of the collar being broader than the lower portion thereof agreeably to the de cc of inclination of the shutter, the shutter b ein drawn up to closed position and controlled by means of the chain 30 by which the shutter may be allowed to swing downward to permit gravity circulation, forced circulation'being accomplished through the shutter when it is in closed position.-

The preferred form of electric switch is that commonly designated as a mercury switch comprising. a container 48 mounted. on the switch lever 37 and containing a suitable quantity of mercur which may be caused to flow to one en of the container that has an electric circuit wire 49 suitabl, connected therewith to provide a switc point on the inside of the container. The mercury is constantly in contact with a switch point on the end of a circuit wire 50 that is connected with theunderportion of the container and flows away from the other point when the switch lever swings downward The circuit wires are appropriately connected withthe fan motor andwith a source of electric energy.

, In practical usethe control of the heat in the building is most advantageously accomplished by use of the single chain 8,, the furnace being properly supplied with fuel. When only moderate heat is required, the chain ma be lowered to" close or partially close the; raft regulator 7 and openthe electrie, switch so that the fancannot operate, while the shutters are caused to be opened to permit gravity circulation of the air. When more heat is. required in the buildingthe chainisdrawn upward and fastened,

causing the regulator 7 to be opened while the shutters in the control box are drawn up to closed position and the electric switch automatically operated so as to close the circuit and result in operation of the fan which forces the air from the cold-air duct to the furnace and thence through the distributing pipes to the various rooms, inevitably inducing rapid flow of the cooler air from the rooms and down the cold-air duct to the fan, with the result that the circulating air is rapidly heated and forced onward while impure air is drawn from the heated rooms.

What is claimed is:

1. A hot air furnace heat control system including a heating furnace, a cold-air duct,

'a control box to conduct air supply from the duct to the furnace, the box having a hinged gravity-opened regulating shutter, a gravityopened electric switch in circuit mounted upon the control box, an electric fan motor mounted in the control box with controlling circuit connection with the switch, and co-operating means comprising a chain to pull and close the switch and a chain to pull and hold the shutter to closed position.

2. A hot air furnace heat control system including a heating furnace, a cold-air duct connected with the furnace and having a control box forming a section thereof provided with a bottom having hinge devices thereon and a top having an opening therein, a shutter in the control box connected to the hinge devices and having a chain connected thereto normally holding the shutter at an inclination, the chain extending upward through said opening, and an electric fan mounted upon said. bottom, the fan and the shutter occupying the area of the crosssection of the control box.

3. A hot air furnace heat control system including a heating furnace, a cold-air duct connected with the furnace and having a control box section provided with a bottom having hinges and a top having an opening therein, a shutter in the control box connected to the hinges, a guide sheave mounted upon the top of the control box adjacent to said opening, a chain connected to the shutter and extending through said opening and over said sheave to support the shutter at an inclination, and an electric fan mounted upon said bottom.

4. In a hot air furnace heat control system, the combination of a control box comprising a bottom plate and a top plate, and also side plates; a control plate arranged to extend from said bottom plate to said top plate to co-operate therewith, and having a central aperture, and also a collar on the edge of the aperture; an electric motor supported upon said bottom plate and a rotary fan thereon positioned to operate in said collar; an electric circuit for the motor; a

heating furnace; and a cold-air duct connected with said box and said furnace.

5. In a hot air furnace control system, the combination of a cold-air duct provided with a control box section to regulate flow of heating air through a furnace, the control box being provided internally with a regulating shutter and an electric motor and fan and externally with a shutter controller and means to control the motor comprising a gravity-opened electric switch in circuit with the motor and having a control lever, and a device coupling the shutter controller with said lever to synchronously close the shutter and the electric switch.

6. In a hot air furnace heat control system, the combination of a cold-air duct with a furnace, a control box connected with the duct and provided with a hinged gravityopened shutter, a chain connected to the shutter and extending through the top of the control box, an electric switch lever pivoted upon the top of the control box, an electric fan motor supported in the control box, electric make-and-break devices operatively controlled by the switch lever and having electric circuit connection with the motor, and a control chain connected to the switch lever.

7. In a hot air furnace heat control system, the combination with a heating furnace and a draft regulator thereon, and a draft control chain connected to the regulator, of a cold-air control box connected with the furnace, a shutter and an electric fan motor supported in the control box, a chain connected with the shutter and the draft control chain, an electric switch mounted upon the control box and having a switch lever, a circuit wire in connection with the switch and the motor, and a chain connected with the draft control chain and also with said switch lever.

8. In a hot air furnace heat control sys tem, the combination of a cold-air control box comprising a bottom plate and a top plate and also opposite side plates, the box having a vertical partition and a horizontal dividing plate therein on one side of the partition and also a front plate arranged on the opposite side of the partition and having a central aperture; a shutter hinged to said bottom plate below said dividing plate, a shutter hinged to said dividing plate, a control chain connected to the shutters and extending through said top plate, and an electric fan supported upon said bottom plate adjacent to said front plate.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signa ture on the 21st day of February, 1929.

GUY A. VOORHEES. 

